NBA executive raves about VJ Edgecombe’s potential and projects him to be second best Sixers player

As the third overall pick in this year’s NBA draft, VJ Edgecombe is facing high expectations as he enters the league. As far as one NBA executive is concerned, the Philadelphia 76ers’ lottery selection is capable of living up to the hype.

In an ESPN survey conducted among 20 NBA executives and scouts, Edgecombe got the majority vote as “rookie who will prove to be the draft’s best pick other than Cooper Flagg.” One anonymous Eastern Conference GM went on to give a specific projection for Edgecombe’s ceiling this season.

“VJ might be Philly’s second-best player by the end of the season, factoring in [Joel] Embiid’s uncertain health,” this GM said. “He’s that good and will thrive playing in Nick Nurse’s system.”

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The 76ers locker room that Edgecombe is walking into, has been battered by the injury bug in the past year. The core trio of Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey missed a huge chunk of Philly's games due to various injuries, with Embiid being shut down for the rest of the season in late February.

Philadelphia, then, would welcome the contributions of Edgecombe, who averaged 15.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists during his lone season in Baylor. The Sixers front office is certainly hoping that Edgecombe, who turns 20 next week, will soon manifest the qualities described in various scouting reports: athleticism, high motor, and spot-up shooting.

With many team executives believing that Edgecombe has "significant untapped upside," much is expected of the Sixers rookie as he begins his NBA career.

VJ Edgecombe puts up shots with recuperating Sixers player after Summer League practice

Though veteran stars Embiid and George were intended to be the focal point of the Sixers' offense this past season, the team has also stocked up on its cache of young talent. Two of these high-potential players are already spending time with each other in practice.

In a video taken after a Summer League practice session in Las Vegas, Edgecombe was seen putting up shots with Jared McCain, who'd been making an early push for 2024 Rookie of the Year before tearing his meniscus last December.

In the not-too-distant future, a Sixers backcourt with a fully recovered McCain and an up-and-coming Edgecombe would be a force to be reckoned with in the Eastern Conference.

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About the author

Simoun Victor Redoblado

Simoun Victor Redoblado is an NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda with over 12 years of experience writing for publications such as Collider, ALL-STAR Magazine, and Sir Charles in Charge.

Simoun has a bachelor's degree in Secondary Education, Major in English and Minor in journalism. Thanks to the journalism courses that he took, Simoun understood the fundamentals of journalistic storytelling in the context of sports writing.

Passionate for the UP Fighting Maroons, Simoun is a fan of the NBA, PBA, UAAP, and FIBA.
His childhood team was the Chicago Bulls and Simoun was a longtime supporter of the Houston Rockets because his friends would say he looked like Yao Ming.

Simoun loves the systematic, tactical movement of the ball and the players, the stories behind each individual competing on the hardcourt and most of all, how basketball is a sport for life and all its struggles and lessons.

A father of two, Simoun spends his free time with his kids.

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